A/N: This chapter's a little shorter, but I wanted to end it off before I accidentally injected more angst into the story. So enjoy this much more lighthearted chapter!

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"This plant is called coptis, and if brewed and applied to the area it should help with the tender spots you've been getting in your mouth. Just be sure not to swallow much if you can avoid it, since you're still breastfeeding Hisui-kun. I've also brought you some chamomile to help with your sleep. Be sure to call for me right away if you start getting body aches or anything gets worse, okay?"

The young miko laid out the herbs as she listed them, making sure they were out of reach of the twins. Sango was propped up in bed, bouncing the baby on her knee. She apparently was a little worse off than Kagome had assumed, but didn't seem to have a full cold, yet.

"Thank you, Kagome-chan. It means a lot," the exterminator said.

Kagome smiled back. "Since Miroku-sama is busy with the girls, I brought some of the rabbit stew Inuyasha and I had this evening. Just in case you have a hard time getting a moment to cook."

She could see the monk's eyes light up at that and guessed she'd hit the mark. Miroku took the lacquerware gratefully. "That's very kind of you, Kagome-sama."

"And for you two," she addressed the twins, "I brought some sweetroot to chew on."

Kin'u and Gyokuto immediately made excited grabby hands for the treats, which were promptly stuck in their mouths. They were just exiting their toddler stage and still prone to getting into things or sticking said things in their nose or mouth, so Kagome often brought them something more appropriate to distract themselves with. There were no proper pacifiers or anything in this time, after all.

Apparently hearing her addressing the last of the home's residents, Inuyasha poked his head inside. "Hey, are you ready to get going?"

Kagome only granted him a passing glance. "Oh c'mon, you should join us, Inuyasha. I haven't gotten to properly visit with Sango-chan and Miroku-sama in a few days. You get to visit them over youkai extermination trips, but I'm getting more and more miko duties taking up my time."

Inuyasha sighed, but came inside to sit near her.

Miroku seemed to turn sly the second they were together. "So, when are those duties going to become some of the wifely variety? Making her wait, eh Inuyasha? They do say anticipation makes things all the sweeter."

Inuyasha scowled and kicked out a leg to hit the monk in the knee. "Shut up, you idiot!"

"You don't need to worry about us," Kagome said with a hint of warning, not wanting Miroku to goad Inuyasha into a fight right now. "I assure you Inuyasha and I have our relationship under control."

To his credit, Miroku was able to read the room. "Eheh... Of course, Kagome-sama." He did flash Inuyasha a knowing look that had the hanyou growling, but made no further comments.

"Ignore him," Sango asserted, giving her husband a sidelong glance. "Inuyasha just exercises more self-control than this one. Now, Kagome-chan, you promised to tell me how things are going with your training. Are you enjoying miko duties?"

"I am, but..." she laughed softly, "They're a lot more demanding than I gave them credit for. Yesterday I must have spent over an hour writing out ofuda."

Kagome recounted the past few days' events that Sango and Miroku had mostly missed out on. Keeping moss out of the shrine steps, her barrier practice, the garden, bringing medicine for a little boy with a tummy ache, and the chickens. She left out the concealment spell practice with Inuyasha.

"I think Kaede-obaa-chan is avoiding my archery because I already more or less know how to do that... But I'm getting a lot better at identifying plants and sensing youkai and spirits without needing them to have a Jewel shard."

"It sounds like you're picking up the practical use skills faster than I ever did as a boy," Miroku complimented.

"Yes. Kagome-chan, you should accompany my husband and Inuyasha on their next big outing! It will give you a chance to put your new skills to the test."

Kagome snuck a glance at Inuyasha at that, but he was looking at her steadily without any hint of disapproval or hesitation. "I guess I could... It would be nice to be on the road again for a bit."

Miroku spoke up after that, "Our next big job is in a few days, actually. I'm not entirely sure why they set a specific date for it, but it seemed quite serious regardless. It will be at least a day's journey away. Perhaps more, because... well, the new moon falls on the day we need to leave."

Kagome's spine went rigid at that. She had almost forgotten to keep track! Silently thanking Miroku for reminding her before she could have embarrassed herself, the miko turned towards Inuyasha again. "I want to go," she said.

…

Trying to leave Miroku and Sango's hut was always an ordeal, Inuyasha thought. Either the baby would fuss from the excitement or the girls would grab on to his pant legs and want to be picked up once he was standing. He didn't necessarily dislike kids, but he was more than convinced after his years around Sango and Miroku's little monsters that he simply did not have the patience or geniality to handle them.

Probably sensing his lingering claustrophobia, Kagome took his hand in hers, entwining their fingers for the walk home. Much as he liked her continuous habit of touching him, Inuyasha was glad she'd waited until Miroku was well out of teasing range.

"That idiot didn't upset you, did he?"

Kagome blinked at him. "Hmmm?"

"Miroku. He can't mind his own goddamn business."

"Ah." Catching on, Kagome shook her head. "I wasn't upset. I know he means well, but it's nobody else's business and I really don't want to spend any of my time with you worrying about what others think."

The hanyou knew that declaration held a double meaning, but said nothing in response. A small flex of his fingers against her was the only indication that he acknowledged it.

"Besides," Kagome went on, "I think it's really sweet how you wanted to date first, now that we can be together without any threats ruining it."

He wrinkled his nose. "Why do you gotta make me sound so sappy?"

"Because it IS sappy," she laughed. "But I love your sappy side, too."

She began walking with a sway to their clasped hands at that. She seemed ridiculously happy all of a sudden and he wasn't entirely sure why, though he was glad for her good mood.

"Keh! I'm just staying with you like I always have. Is it really all that different with the word 'dating' attached to it?"

"It is!" she insisted animatedly. "There was no commitment from you before, after all."

"Eh?"

"And most of the times you touched me were just because I was in danger."

"Huh?!"

"Plus you were covered in youkai guts or charging into battle half the time. Not romantic at all."

"Okay, fine!" he growled. "Maybe it is a little different, but it doesn't change the fact I always stayed with you, and you knew I would. I was just a little busy back then!"

To his further annoyance, Kagome only laughed. "Don't take it so seriously. I always stayed with you too, didn't I?"

The irritation left him all at once. "You did..." he said softly, squeezing her hand.

Their home came into view and Inuyasha went in ahead of her to light the fire so that she could see better. After feeding the chicks, Kagome started pulling out the bedroll and he settled against his spot against the wall. To his surprise however, Kagome came over to sit snuggled into his side rather than going right to bed. He could tell she was tired from the glassiness of her eyes and the droop of her shoulders, but she seemed content to stay with him.

"Here," he murmured, removing his suikan to drape it over her shoulders. "It's pretty cold tonight."

"Thank you... What about you, though?"

"I told you, I don't get as cold as humans," he said.

Her reply was immediate and a little chastising, "And I told you that you deserve a little luxury."

With that, the woman draped half of the suikan over his far shoulder and snuggled further into him.

"There, now we can both be warm."

Inuyasha couldn't help smiling a little, and wrapped his arm around her. "Okay..."

It must've been around midnight when Inuyasha snapped awake again, his nose buried in Kagome's hair. He hadn't expected to fall asleep like that. Had he passed out before she did? Kagome's scent did seem to put him into restful sleeps in the past...

He decided that as enjoyable as this might be for him, Kagome would probably not appreciate having to get up and do chores with a stiff back. Scooping her up in his arms, Inuyasha carried her back over to her bed, making sure she was comfortably situated before tucking the blanket over her. He considered something for a moment, before draping his Fire-Rat suikan over her as well.

…

The morning light was pale, and the air was thin with the early spring cold. Kagome wasn't awake yet. Judging by the sun's position, Inuyasha guessed she had about an hour left to sleep in. However, the young miko had drawn his attention by her tossing and kicking, little mumbles leaving her mouth in feverish whispers. She'd often had vocal dreams during the time he'd known her, but the thrashing was new to him upon her return. He'd asked her about it, but she always laughed and said she didn't remember any part of it.

Getting up and softly making his way over to her, Inuyasha's brow furrowed when he noticed she was sweating. Must be a bad dream, then. Kneeling, the hanyou put a hand on her shoulder. It was enough to rouse her, though she did jolt a bit.

"Inuyasha?"

"Bad dream," was all he said.

"Oh..." The woman ran a hand over her sweat-slicked face, grimacing. "Thank you. Sorry, this is really gross..."

"You're not gross," he assured her. "Want me to sit with you until you go back to sleep?"

Kagome squinted towards the sunrise, apparently coming to the same conclusion he had earlier, and nodded. "That would be... nice."

Inuyasha hesitated for a moment, before coming to a decision and surprising her by slipping into the bed next to her. He stayed on top of the covers, but was determined to grant her wish of him lying next to her, at least this once.

He put one arm over her, using the other to prop his head up and look down at her. "This okay?"

"Yes..." She smiled and her cheeks were colored by a happy blush.

"So..." he prompted.

"'So'?"

"What were you dreaming about?"

A soft sigh. "I don't really remember. The Jewel, I guess."

His hand tensed before pulling her closer to him in an embrace. "I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner... I didn't even realize I'd been searching for three whole days."

"Me either... It was so dark. You couldn't tell up from down, or how much time was passing."

"That place was never meant to be your fate. You weren't born to fight, you were born to meet me."

At some point she'd taken to playing with his subjugation beads, rolling them through her fingers and across her palm. But she smiled softly at his words. "Yes... and you were born for me."

His nose was at hers again. His hand sliding down her arm to interlace his fingers with hers. Her breath was very warm against him in the morning chill. His eyes were soft, conveying his intentions, and hers took on the pretty shine they had only once before. Then his eyes were closed, and his lips met hers in a gentle wave of sensation.

He had never thought he could like her scent any more than he already did, but the way it wrapped around him so intimately – wafting up from her blanket and infused into her breath that he was now breathing, too, made him never want to move away from her again.

His lips parted for a breath. "You smell nice..." he murmured before reclaiming hers.

Kagome hummed and smiled against his mouth, but seemed content not to break the connection either. They pressed against each other like that for what felt like hours, just kissing over and over. It couldn't have been more than a few minutes though, as the sunbeams had barely moved across the room.

During one of the countless breaks for air, Kagome said, "You smell nice, too... Kinda like hinoki wood and fresh air."

"Hmmm..." he hummed against her, stealing another lingering peck. "Enough of your silly flattery. Get some rest before I end up having to carry you to Kaede-babaa's."

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you, Kagome."

A/N: I have no clue what Sango would call Miroku post-manga, and it felt weird to leave it "houshi-sama/monk" once they're married. So I just went with "husband" and will probably continue to.

"Hinoki" is a Japanese tree that is known for the smell of its wood. It's supposed to smell quite sweet and calming, and give you the impression of walking through a crisp and fragrant forest. Many Japanese shrines and temples are built from it for this reason.